Graphical user interface for partial amount reductions

Abstract

A machine may be configured to facilitate partial reductions of an amount by generating and providing a graphical user interface that enables a user to specify one or more partial reductions of the amount, thus defining or otherwise controlling how the amount is to be reduced in stages by such partial reductions. For example, in situations where a total amount is to be reduced in stages by multiple partial reductions, the generated and provided graphical user interface may be operable to specify each stage of reduction by enabling the user to select a corresponding account for each stage of reduction. The corresponding account may be selected from among a set of multiple available accounts, each with a respectively corresponding available amount, any portion or all of which may be available to use in that stage of reducing the total amount.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 accessing, by one or more processors, a graphical user interface (GUI) that indicates a total amount to be reduced and including authorization elements each usable to specify a corresponding partial reduction; 
 consuming, by the one or more processors and in response to a first authorization element among the authorization elements being used to specify a first partial reduction of the total amount along with a first account from which to consume a first authorized amount of the first partial reduction, the first authorized amount from the specified first account; 
 modifying, by the one or more processors and in response to the consuming of the first authorized amount, the GUI to indicate the total amount and its partial reduction by at least the first authorized amount; 
 detecting, by the one or more processors, a closure of the GUI at a first device after the consuming of the first authorized amount, the closure of the GUI indicating termination of a first network session at the first device; 
 causing, by the one or more processors, in response to the closure of the GUI and in response to initiation of a second network session at a second device and after the modifying of the GUI, a launch of the GUI at the second device, the GUI being modified to indicate the total amount and its partial reduction by at least the first authorized amount; 
 consuming, by the one or more processors and in response to a second authorization element among the authorization elements being used to specify a second partial reduction of the reduced total amount along with a second account from which to consume a second authorized amount of the second partial reduction, the second authorized amount from the specified second account; and 
 modifying, by the one or more processors and in response to the consuming of the second authorized amount, the GUI to indicate the total amount and its reduction by at least the first authorized amount and the second authorized amount. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the GUI lists items and corresponding item amounts whose sum is included in the total amount. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the total amount is to be reduced in stages; 
 the consuming of the first authorized amount of the first partial reduction represents a first stage among the stages of reduction of the total amount; and 
 the consuming of the second authorized amount of the second partial reduction represents a second stage among the stages of reduction of the total amount. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first account from which to consume the first authorized amount corresponds to an accumulated amount gathered from periodic allocations of a repeatable amount. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the consuming of the first authorized amount of the first partial reduction includes reducing the accumulated amount gathered from the periodic allocations by the first authorized amount; and 
 the method further comprises: 
 in response to the reducing of the accumulated amount, suspending the periodic allocations of the repeatable amount. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first account from which to consume the first authorized amount corresponds to an accumulated amount gathered from periodic allocations of a repeatable amount in exchange for a subscription to a periodic item to be provided periodically. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the consuming of the first authorized amount of the first partial reduction includes reducing the accumulated amount gathered from the periodic allocations by the first authorized amount; and 
 the method further comprises: 
 in response to the reducing of the accumulated, suspending the subscription to the periodic item. 
 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
 accessing a graphical user interface (GUI) that indicates a total amount to be reduced and including authorization elements each usable to specify a corresponding partial reduction; 
 consuming, in response to a first authorization element among the authorization elements being used to specify a first partial reduction of the total amount along with a first account from which to consume a first authorized amount of the first partial reduction, the first authorized amount from the specified first account; 
 modifying, in response to the consuming of the first authorized amount, the GUI to indicate the total amount and its partial reduction by at least the first authorized amount; 
 detecting a closure of the GUI at a first device after the consuming of the first authorized amount, the closure of the GUI indicating termination of a first network session at the first device; 
 causing, in response to the closure of the GUI and in response to initiation of a second network session at a second device and after the modifying of the GUI, a launch of the GUI at the second device, the GUI being modified to indicate the total amount and its partial reduction by at least the first authorized amount; 
 consuming, in response to a second authorization element among the authorization elements being used to specify a second partial reduction of the reduced total amount along with a second account from which to consume a second authorized amount of the second partial reduction, the second authorized amount from the specified second account; and 
 modifying, in response to the consuming of the second authorized amount, the GUI to indicate the total amount and its reduction by at least the first authorized amount and the second authorized amount. 
 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein: the GUI lists items and corresponding item amounts whose sum is included in the total amount. 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the total amount is to be reduced in stages; 
 the consuming of the first authorized amount of the first partial reduction represents a first stage among the stages of reduction of the total amount; and 
 the consuming of the second authorized amount of the second partial reduction represents a second stage among the stages of reduction of the total amount. 
 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first account from which to consume the first authorized amount corresponds to an accumulated amount gathered from periodic allocations of a repeatable amount. 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the consuming of the first authorized amount of the first partial reduction includes reducing the accumulated amount gathered from the periodic allocations by the first authorized amount; and 
 the operations further comprise: 
 in response to the reducing of the accumulated amount, suspending the periodic allocations of the repeatable amount. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first account from which to consume the first authorized amount corresponds to an accumulated amount gathered from periodic allocations of a repeatable amount in exchange for a subscription to a periodic item to be provided periodically. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the consuming of the first authorized amount of the first partial reduction includes reducing the accumulated amount gathered from the periodic allocations by the first authorized amount; and 
 the operations further comprise: 
 in response to the reducing of the accumulated, suspending the subscription to the periodic item. 
 
     
     
       15. A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a memory storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor among the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising: 
 accessing a graphical user interface (GUI) that indicates a total amount to be reduced and including authorization elements each usable to specify a corresponding partial reduction; 
 consuming, in response to a first authorization element among the authorization elements being used to specify a first partial reduction of the total amount along with a first account from which to consume a first authorized amount of the first partial reduction, the first authorized amount from the specified first account; 
 modifying, in response to the consuming of the first authorized amount, the GUI to indicate the total amount and its partial reduction by at least the first authorized amount; 
 detecting a closure of the GUI at a first device after the consuming of the first authorized amount, the closure of the GUI indicating termination of a first network session at the first device; 
 causing, in response to the closure of the GUI and in response to initiation of a second network session at a second device and after the modifying of the GUI, a launch of the GUI at the second device, the GUI being modified to indicate the total amount and its partial reduction by at least the first authorized amount; 
 consuming, in response to a second authorization element among the authorization elements being used to specify a second partial reduction of the reduced total amount along with a second account from which to consume a second authorized amount of the second partial reduction, the second authorized amount from the specified second account; and 
 modifying, in response to the consuming of the second authorized amount, the GUI to indicate the total amount and its reduction by at least the first authorized amount and the second authorized amount. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the total amount is to be reduced in stages; 
 the consuming of the first authorized amount of the first partial reduction represents a first stage among the stages of reduction of the total amount; and 
 the consuming of the second authorized amount of the second partial reduction represents a second stage among the stages of reduction of the total amount. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first account from which to consume the first authorized amount corresponds to an accumulated amount gathered from periodic allocations of a repeatable amount. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the consuming of the first authorized amount of the first partial reduction includes reducing the accumulated amount gathered from the periodic allocations by 
 the first authorized amount; and 
 the operations further comprise: 
 in response to the reducing of the accumulated amount, suspending the periodic allocations of the repeatable amount. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first account from which to consume the first authorized amount corresponds to an accumulated amount gathered from periodic allocations of a repeatable amount in exchange for a subscription to a periodic item to be provided periodically. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the consuming of the first authorized amount of the first partial reduction includes reducing the accumulated amount gathered from the periodic allocations by the first authorized amount; and 
 the operations further comprise: 
 in response to the reducing of the accumulated, suspending the subscription to the periodic item.